Sweden International Student Statistics 2024

Historical International Student Statistics in Sweden

• According to the Official Statistics of Sweden, there are a total of 39,806 international students enrolled in universities in Sweden, which is also the highest number registered since the earliest data available.
• International student enrollment increased by 19.5% from 2020/21 to 2021/22.
• There was a significant decrease of 14.4% in international students from 2011/12 to 2013/14.
• The number of international students in higher education started increasing again from 2015/16 to 2019/20 by 12.2%.
• A significant difference of 83% is seen between the number of free mover students and exchange student enrollment, with 11,644 free movers and 28,197 exchange students.

*Freemover students are independent students from abroad studying in Swedish higher education institutions who have applied individually without an exchange program.

First-Time International Students in Sweden

First-time students at the higher education level are students who have enrolled in universities in Sweden for their first academic year. The table below shows the number of first-time international students over the years.

• The majority of first-time international students in Sweden are enrolled as exchange students, with a difference of 8.8% from first-time exchange students.
• The latest data shows that the total number of first-time international students in Sweden is 23,882, an increase of 41.2% from 2020/21.
• With 24,391 students, the highest number of first-time enrolled students occurred in 2019/20, an increase of 12.1% from the 2014/15 academic year.
• The number of first-time exchange students increased by 13.4% within a year, from 2020/21 to 2021/22.
• In 2011/12, the number of first-time free mover students was the highest ever, with 14,807 students, a difference of 22.9% from the current free mover student enrollment rate.
• The total number of first-time international student enrollment increased by 15.7% from the earliest data provided in 2011/12.

International Students in Sweden by Country of Origin

The data shown in the table below is based on the latest available statistics for 2021/22.

• The majority of international students enrolled in higher education institutions in Sweden come from Germany, a total of 4,166 students or 10.4% of all international students.
• After Germany, China comes second, with a total of 2,302 Chinese students enrolled in universities in Sweden, or 5.7% of all international students.
• The majority of free mover students in Swedish higher education institutions come from India, a percentage of 7.3% of all free movers.
• On the other hand, German students make up most of the exchange students in Swedish higher education institutions, a total of 2,346 students.
• The majority of international students in Sweden are part of the EU and Switzerland (17,965), followed by the non-EU countries (14,634) and other Nordic countries with 3,053 students (except for Sweden).
• Another 7,210 international students have an unknown country of origin, according to the latest statistics.

International Students in Sweden by Age

• The majority of international students from abroad in Sweden belong to the age group of 22-24, a total of 13,204 students.
• 10,719 or 26.9% of international students in Sweden are 25-29 years old.
• 7,677 enrolled international students in Sweden are under the age of 21 years old.
• A smaller number of international students belong to the age group of 30-34 years old, totaling 4,200 students.
• A considerable number of international students are over 35 years old, specifically 4,006.

International Students in Sweden by Gender

• The majority of international students in Sweden are women, with a total of 21,754 female students.
• Whereas 18,052 or 45.3% of international students are men.
• According to the latest statistics, 15,087 exchange students are women, whereas 13,110 are men.
• Of the total free mover students, 57.4%, or 6,692, are female, and 4,952, or 42.5%, are male students.
• 2,146 or 9.8% of female students come from the Nordic region except Sweden, whereas only 907 or 5% of male students come from the same geographic area.

Which Universities Do International Students in Sweden Choose?

The table below shows Sweden's most popular higher education institutions for international students in the academic year 2021/22.

• Lund University is the most popular university for international students in Sweden, with 5,362 students, or 13.4% of all international students in Sweden.
• Stockholm University is also a popular university among international students in Sweden, with 4,426 students, closely followed by Uppsala University, with 4,263 international students.

International Students in Sweden by Institution

There are various higher education institutions in Sweden which include Universities; University Colleges; Art, Design and Music Academies; and other independent educational institutions.

• The majority of international students in Sweden are enrolled in Universities, specifically 36,346 students in total.
• Whereas as many as 6,868 international students are enrolled in University Colleges, followed by a total of only 504 international students registered in Art, Design, and Music Academies.
• The rest of the international students are enrolled in other independent educational institutions, making up a total of 248 students.